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United SportsCar Racing and Le Mans to continue sports-car relationship

March 14, 2013

Le Mans will continue to have a relationship with United SportsCar Racing. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest -- organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- and the newly combined United SportsCar Racing series -- a merger of Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series -- on Friday announced “a global strategic agreement to continue a relationship that started between ACO and ALMS 14 years ago to promote endurance racing in North America and the link with the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

The agreement consists of two parts. The first part is a specific licensing agreement that will allow selected competitors in United SportsCar Racing to have entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The agreement also allows the use of the name “Petit Le Mans” for the annual Road Atlanta event.

The second part is a “strategic alliance” between the ACO and United SportsCar Racing “to explore and develop new avenues and horizons for endurance racing together in North America.”

Grand-Am founder and United SportsCar Racing board member Jim France said, “A key component in the unification of the Grand-Am Rolex Series and the American Le Mans Series was the ability to continue a relationship with Le Mans and the ACO. My family has admired the 24 Hours of Le Mans for decades, and we hold it in the same high regard as the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The opportunity to maintain a link to Le Mans is as important to me as it is to all United SportsCar Racing manufacturers, teams and drivers.”

Pierre Fillon, ACO president, said, “The ACO is delighted through this alliance partnership that goes beyond a simple licensing agreement, to continue our collaboration that started 14 years ago, with [ALMS founder] Don Panoz and the creation of ALMS, and that has been of great benefit to both partners. This Strategic Alliance will lead to a close collaboration between the ACO and United SportsCar Racing to promote, develop and reinforce endurance racing in North America.

“Through this global agreement, I am convinced endurance racing will continue to be in safe hands in North America for many years to come.”

United SportsCar Racing begins its inaugural season in 2014 with the 52nd running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.